IUBio

DEBATE: Immune Networks

Ken Frauwirth BioKen frauwirt at notmendel.Berkeley.EDU
Wed Nov 23 19:41:27 EST 1994


In article <94327.091622FORSDYKE at qucdn.queensu.ca>,
 <FORSDYKE at QUCDN.QueensU.CA> wrote:
>In article <3atgkc$d5j at agate.berkeley.edu>, frauwirt at notmendel.Berkeley.EDU (Ken
>Frauwirth (BioKen)) says:
>>
>>This argument assumes that the specific epitopes found on the ICC's are at
>>frequencies high enough to be detected.  If a given epitope is found only on
>>a single cell, it is unlikely that it will be able to "educate" future ICC's.
>
>      If, once it has survived the education process, the ICC goes  on to
>release "natural antibody", then there should be sufficient epitopes. B cells
>probably release natural antibody. But do T cells shed receptors? I suspect not
>so your point would seem more pertinent with respect to T cells.
>
>                                   Sincerely,  Don Forsdyke

I do not know how much serum Ig is "natural" antibody, but I think my
argument still applies.  In order to consistently delete (or "educate") new
ICC's that potentially react with existing idiotopes, any given epitope must
exceed a minimum concentration.  I find it difficult to believe that a 
single resting B cell secretes that much natural antibody.  Of course, that
is my (rather ignorant) opinion, so evidence to thee contrary is welcomed.

And as far as I know, T cells do not shed their receptors (at least not
detectably).

BioKen

-- 
Ken Frauwirth (MiSTie #33025)       _           _
frauwirt at mendel.berkeley.edu       |_) *    |/ (_ |\ |
Dept. of Molec. & Cell Bio.        |_) | () |\ (_ | \|  
Univ. of Cal., Berkeley          Push the button...someone :(



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